The End
by Obsessed-Language-Freak
Summary: This is it. This is The End; the terminal of all things under the sun. Everything that is and ever was is dying: all that is beautiful and wonderful; all that is abominable and dreadful - in the end, what has it come to? At least I could spend this life with you. Yao/Kiku, character death.


**The End**

**Pairings: Yao/Kiku**

**Warnings: character death**

I'm sorry guys, for writing something so awfully angsty. Inspired by this post from .com: imagineyourotp. tumblr post/ 34099708020/ imagine-your-otp-standing-together-at-the-the-edge (just remove the spaces). This is also posted on my Tumblr.

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This is it. This is The End; the terminal of all things under the sun. Everything that is and ever was is dying: all that is beautiful and wonderful; all that is abominable and dreadful - in the end, what has it come to?

Yao and Kiku are the last people in the world, at least, as far as they know, they are. They stand on the top of one of the mountains that has survived the premise to this cacophony of destruction and look down upon the last of the world with unspoken understanding.

They are going to die.

And as it always does the world carries on regardless, with no thought to spare for the insignificance of their pallid, fleeting human lives or the plans they had had in mind: raising a family, building a home somewhere - anywhere away from all this, getting married. Death looms over them like the sun hanging down in the sky, a red message of their very end. Kiku reaches for Yao's hand, hesitantly, the very tips of his fingers brushing the side of Yao's hand. Yao takes it and squeezes it gently. It is no comfort to either of them, but it does lead them to realise something else:

They are going to die together.

And suddenly death doesn't seem that bad any more. Well, no, it still does - _we still had so much we wanted to do_ - but they've changed; it is the end, the curtain is closing, fire is raining down on the earth and they are together. Holding hands, as they both know they should be.

"I suppose this is it," Kiku says breathlessly, and a tiny shudder runs down Yao's spine. Neither of them could talk much earlier, but this - this is right; this is what needs to be said.

"Yes," Yao replies, stepping forward to stand directly by Kiku's side. Kiku looks up at him with a rare smile, one of sorrow and fear but an endless gratitude, and Yao returns it, matching it emotion for tremulous emotion. "Yes, it is."

Silence reigns for a moment more and something clamours behind them. The piercing shriek of metal toppling cuts through the air and they freeze, but do not turn to look. "Do you - do you remember," Yao begins with a shaky breath, "the wishes we made?"

Kiku nods, and they intertwine their fingers.

"Mine came true," Yao says, choosing to run his thumb over the back of Kiku's hand, feeling his knuckles and the smoothness of his skin - and, yes, even the tiny raised scar from an accident long ago. "I wished - I wished to live the rest of my life with you." He smiles at Kiku plaintively and strains to keep his eyebrows from quivering. "We didn't even get married. I'm sorry. I should have asked you sooner."

"You always knew I would have said yes," Kiku tells him softly, almost as though chiding him. He leans his head against Yao's shoulder and sighs meekly, and Yao sneaks one last kiss on the crown of his head. "But you know, my wish," he says, his light hold turning into something more of a grip; the desperate finality that was overwhelming him evident only in his fingers, "it hasn't come true yet, but... I think it will."

Yao worries a little; it is his final hope that Kiku dies with his wish fulfilled, and that even if there is nothing afterwards, they can remember it with a smile. Kiku turns to him and looks at him with undisguised heartache. "Yao-san," he says, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Thank you."

Yao returns the gesture and smiles at him, but momentarily, for his face falls in a fleeting lapse of control: oh, he was scared. He wants Kiku to live, and to find a way out from this madness, and to find someone who loved him, and to have a family and settle down and live to a ripe old age - and he knows from Kiku's expression that Kiku wants exactly the same for him. Kiku sees Yao's expression and prays that somehow, Yao can have the happiness he deserves - a home with someone to care for him, a kind person to hold his hand, someone to soothe away his heartaches.

At the moment though, standing on the periphery of doom, they could want no other. Yao's smile returns as he remembered little snippets of their relationship: holding hands in the park, kisses in the dark, sleeping side-by-side in beds made for one. "This," Kiku says, "this is my wish - I wished to die smiling by your side, with your name on my lips, in your arms..."

They come together and kiss quietly, eyes never closing, for each memory now is more important than ever, every detail has to be committed to heart and soul and eternity. "Yao," Kiku whispers as they pull apart, and they release breaths they had not realised they were holding.

They are caught up for a while, smiling because of each other's presence and significance and the preciousness of their love. Some time later, when the sun is huger and the sky is crimson, and the sea has burnt entirely to a wisp of grey in its bed, Kiku speaks again. "I've loved this life."

Yao kisses his hand and does not let it go. Still they face each other and smile, though the smiles are wavering now, and infinitely more watery. "I've loved you," Yao says, and Kiku's shoulders heave.

"Everything has mattered," he says, then swallows and tries again: "everything has mattered because you've been here. It's because you've been with me that this life has had any significance at all. It's only been important because you've been by my side, to share it with."

"And you're all that's ever been necessary," Yao replies, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. "If only this wasn't it, if only... But it is, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then at least we're together. At least I could spend this life with you."

They look down at the devastation and the ruin and think that oddly, if it hadn't have been so inevitable, it would have been beautiful.

"Do you remember," Kiku says, chuckling quietly, "playing in the park as children?"

"And getting chased by the neighbour's dog?"

"And when you broke your leg I wasn't allowed to come and see you at first."

"And then you did and you brought flowers and sweets and we watched films all day."

"And then towards the end of high school you told me that you were having a party - "

"But really it was a dinner date, and you came anyway..."

"And we kissed and you were blushing -"

"And then we were too shy to admit we were in love, and when we actually confessed I kissed you again and you smiled -"

Memories grow, and so do smiles. The sadness never leaves them, but becomes duller, more distant. And they stand on the edge of the world and at the end of time, smiling at each other, and they kiss once more; just once, on the cheek - it is hotter now and their hands are sweaty where they are joined. But they won't let go - not now, not ever - and the world is dying and so are they -

"Kiku."

"Yao."

The world ends.

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I'm actually surprised at how much I enjoyed writing this. It was very refreshing to write something and enjoy it so much! I wrote it relatively quickly, so if it's not too much trouble, what are your thoughts? Anything need improving? Anything a bit too off?

Thank you for reading!


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